Sadiki strikes in stoppage time as Sunderland beat Torreense 2-1

Sunderland overturned a half-time deficit to beat Torreense 2-1 in the Europa League on Thursday, with Noah Sadiki scoring in the third minute of stoppage time. AS reported that his late volley completed the comeback and took Régis Le Bris’s side to six points from their opening two league-phase matches.

Watch the highlights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5KtNTo2IUg

Volnei Feltes had put the Portuguese side ahead in the 37th minute, before Jules Ahoka equalised in the 67th. The hosts remained level until Sadiki’s decisive intervention. AS described a second half in which goalkeeper Lucas Paes repeatedly resisted Sunderland’s pressure, while a penalty initially awarded to the visitors was subsequently overturned after a video review.

Le Bris had changed his starting side substantially for the trip. According to the Sunderland Echo’s team report, Timur Tutierov was handed his first senior start for the club, having previously appeared from the bench in a Carabao Cup match against Hull City. Luke O’Nien and Omar Alderete returned in defence, with Ahoka also starting and Granit Xhaka among the substitutes.

Torreense brought an unusual European pedigree to the contest. The Sunderland Echo reported that the second-division club qualified by beating Sporting 2-1 in May’s Portuguese Cup final, then won away at Lillestrøm on their Europa League debut. Sunderland’s own place in the competition followed a seventh-place Premier League finish. Both clubs therefore arrived with an opening European victory already secured, rather than seeking their first points.

The result extended Sunderland’s winning start after their 1-0 home victory over AZ Alkmaar. Playmakerstats recorded Enzo Le Fée’s 66th-minute penalty as the only goal of that opening match. Thursday’s recovery also followed a 2-0 Premier League defeat at home to Brighton, listed in Sky Sports’ recent-results record, giving Sunderland a winning response on their return to European action.

There is little time before their next assignments. Sunderland’s official fixture list has a Premier League visit to Bournemouth on Sunday, October 18, followed by another European away match against Lech Poznań on October 22. They leave Portugal with maximum points from two Europa League games after turning a losing position into victory in the closing moments.